THREE weeks ago today, they were just another one of those Boston teams on their way to a title. The Red Sox were busy polishing off the Rockies in the World Series, the resurgent Celtics were preparing for their renaissance season, the Patriots were practicing the art of perfection . .
. . . And Boston College, fresh off a stunning 14-10 comeback win over Virginia Tech, was No. 2 in the nation with a bullet. Quarterback Matt Ryan was in the Heisman Trophy discussion, coach Jeff Jagodzinski was in the hunt for Coach of the Year, and all was well in Chestnut Hill.
Then Florida State showed up, and hand-delivered Loss No. 1. Then, Maryland welcomed the Eagles, and force-fed Loss No. 2. BC went from adding a little collegiate flavor to the Beantown Championship Bash to being shut out at the door because of being underage.
But all is not lost. Think about it, the No. 18 Eagles (8-2) can still clinch a berth in the ACC title game with a win Saturday at No. 16 Clemson (8-2). Sure, Death Valley will be jacked up, sure Clemson has won four straight, sure BC is banged up.
But there is a chance, and after these two weeks of Eagles misery, perhaps that’s all they need to wake up.
“There have been several stadiums I walked in and there has been a thicker air than what you normally see,” Clemson coach Tommy Bowden said. “You could cut the electricity here during my first game against Florida State [in 1999] and then Georgia Tech last year. This one is probably going to bypass all of those.”
Not sure if the electricity was exactly cuttable two years ago, but Boston College somehow won in Death Valley, 16-13, in 2005. And then, at home, the Eagles outlasted the Tigers, 34-33, last season.
Who knows if they can complete the trifecta. But when you have a team that has Top 10 talent in a must-win game, and you have two scores in your back pocket, we’ll take that chance.
BC (+71/2) is the pick.
TONIGHT
Oregon (-12) over ARIZONA: We’ll go against the No. 2 hex here and lean on Dennis Dixon as he polishes his Heisman Trophy resume and shows those on our coast who’ve never seen him just what the hype is all about.
SATURDAY
Michigan (+41/2) over OHIO STATE: Win one for Lloyd. The banged-up Wolverines take a page out of Ron Zook’s playbook, run the ball ’til the Buckeyes drop, and give Carr that elusive win in this great rivalry.
RUTGERS (-111/2) over Pitt: Ray Rice gets another team that has trouble stopping the run. The Panthers are better than Army, but the Knights need this one too much. Remember, bowl eligibility doesn’t always mean bowl.
ILLINOIS (-131/2) over Northwestern: High number, but the Illini have been good at home, and we just don’t think they’re going to beat the Buckeyes so they can lose to the Wildcats.
Kentucky (+71/2) over GEORGIA: Bulldogs have been good to us, but the ‘Cats can score, and we see a slight letdown here between the hedges.
Missouri (-7) over KANSAS STATE: No lookahead to worry about here, as the Tigers will have two weeks to prepare for those joltin’ Jayhawks.
TENNESSEE (-111/2) over Vanderbilt: Volunteers’ defense is vulnerable, but Vanderbilt has trouble offensively on the road, and there’s too much at stake for the hosts.
KANSAS (-261/2) over Iowa State: How can you go against the streak? KU is undefeated against the spread. Ride it ’til it ends . . . you can only lose once.
Miami (+161/2) over VIRGINIA TECH: Enter the insane pick of the week. But we expect the humbled Hurricanes to show a little fight, and the Hokies to be a little hungover after that emotional win over FSU.
MICHIGAN STATE (+21/2) over Penn State: Nittany Lions are a totally different group on the road. Keep in mind, last week’s 31-0 win at Temple was hardly a road game.
OLE MISS (+19) over Louisiana State: Tigers are No. 1 now, but Arkansas is on deck, then the SEC title game. Rebels took the Bengals to OT last year in Baton Rouge.
Wisconsin (-14) over MINNESOTA: Badgers may be a bit sluggish after the Michigan win, but it’s tough to side with a 1-10 team that’s lost three straight in the series.
West Virginia (-61/2) over CINCINNATI: We rode the Bearcats over UConn, but WVU still has an outside shot at the title game, and the Mountaineers will bring a little more offense to the Queen City than the Huskies did.
Oklahoma (-8) over TEXAS TECH: Any team still chasing the No. 1 spot at this point in the year is a logical choice. Sooners don’t cover many numbers, but this is a single digit against a bad defense.
OFF THE GRID
Oklahoma State (-14) over BAYLOR: Cowboys need this one to be bowl-eligible, and will tune up for next week’s “Bedlam” game vs. Oklahoma by whacking the Bears.
Last week: 7-8 Overall, 0-3 Best Bets, 1-0 Off The Grid.
Season: 74-85-6, 13-18-2, 5-5-1.